Dana White Backtracks on Henry Cejudo After Refusing to Respect Ex-Champ’s Retirement at UFC 298

After UFC 298, Dana White decided against giving Henry Cejudo the microphone. The move drew a lot of scrutiny as Cejudo had promised that a loss against Merab Dvalishvili would mark his retirement from the UFC. But even after a valiant effort which saw him come up short against the Georgian, ‘Triple C’ didn’t get to address fans and talk about his future in the Octagon interview after the fight.

And so, the UFC boss recently took to social media where he blasted the media for “clickbait” reporting on his comments. White also revealed the reason behind Cejudo not getting a chance on the mic as he clarified his statements in his trademark, straightforward fashion!  

Dana White clears the air on perceived ‘disrespect’ towards Henry Cejudo’s retirement  

At UFC 298, Henry Cejudo lost a unanimous decision against Merab Dvalishvili. During the build-up to the event, Cejudo had stated, “I either win it all, or I’m not gonna have it all, and I’m out.” But while he removed his gloves after the fight, indicating his decision to retire, he didn’t get a chance to address the fans about his future in the fight game in an in-cage interview. 

Therefore, when asked about the decision to not hand Cejudo the mic, Dana White stated in a post-fight press conference, “Henry Cejudo already retired, OK? He did the whole drop the gloves thing…” His comments however drew a lot of flak from the community for the perceived lack of respect towards the former champion.

But in a recent post on his Instagram story, White clarified the reports about his comment by stating, “More POS clickbait… What I said was it was Merabs time for the mic. Huge win for him and Henry already retired. F**king media.”

His comments on social media align with his statements that were made later during the post-fight press conference, where he proclaimed, “Tonight was Merab’s night. If he wants to retire again, he can do that here (at the press conference) or somewhere else. You don’t give the mic to Cejudo tonight.” White also expressed doubt about Cejudo’s ability to take such a long break from combat sports and expect to return to championship form while facing hungry contenders like Dvalishvili.

While the handling of Cejudo’s post-fight interview remains a topic of debate, White’s clarification provides insight into the UFC’s perspective on prioritizing the spotlight for the winning fighter in such situations.

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Nevertheless, there was also another major statement made by White after the conclusion of UFC 298 as he dropped the much-awaited announcement for the UFC 300 main event!

White reveals the challenges in securing UFC 300 matchups

UFC 300 will be headlined by Alex Pereira defending his title against Jamahal Hill on April 13, a matchup that has caught many by surprise. Dana White, UFC CEO, unveiled this unexpected main event after UFC 298. Initially, rumors had swirled about Pereira defending his light heavyweight title at UFC 301 in Brazil, but with White’s revelation, the rumors have been laid to rest. Also, Jamahal Hill will be returning to the Octagon since he has now recovered from a torn Achilles tendon, which led him to relinquish the light heavyweight title in 2023.

And so, at the UFC 298 post-fight press conference, White revealed, “It was all about timing…and in this business, you have injuries and all kinds of other bulls*** that goes on behind the scenes. We’ve been talking about 300 forever. We were just trying to make the best fights that we could possibly make.”

He also stated that the biggest challenge in booking UFC 300’s main event wasn’t financial negotiations but scheduling three consecutive pay-per-view events! Despite logistical challenges, including scheduling multiple events in a short period, the UFC and White remain committed to providing thrilling matchups for fans worldwide.

What do you think about the UFC 300 main event matchup revealed by Dana White? And what did you make of the decision regarding Henry Cejudo and his post-fight interview?  Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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